Foodhall 88, the first pop-up food hall in the Netherlands will open the 18th of February in Tilburg. At this moment the lobby of building 88 at the Spoorzone (Railway zone) is still under construction but as from next Thursday you’re supposed to smell fish, meat and vegetables here. Foodhall 88 is open until late April.
In November 2015 we wrote about Dorset’s culinary food plaza. A unique collaboration between AVIA and Willem Dankers. The food plaza has opened recently and we received beautiful pictures of it, special thanks to Marieke Dijkhof. The article about the food plaza is stated below. read more
Great news, still some spots left for you! ‘Brouwerij Troost’ in Amsterdam is giving you the opportunity to brew your own beer. The registration for the second quarter in 2016 is now open. read more
The restaurants of François Geurds always create a lot of rumour around their brand. Now this star chef has launched a CD with tasty music, the CD Flavours & Grooves. As the CD is hidden in the dessert at FG Restaurant and FG Food Labs, you have one more reason to eat there.
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Taking your dog on a date this Valentine’s Day, this is possible at MicroChippy, a pop-up restaurant for 2 days in London. Canine charity Dogs Trust is bringing a 1950s style doggy diner to Clerkenwell on 13 and 14 February. read more
The Fédération Internationale des Logis, the quality label of small European hotel–restaurants with 17 affiliated hotels in the Netherlands, reinforces the current hotel supply with two new brands: Maison by Logis and Isolite by Logis. read more
Almost 14 million wine lovers around the world are using the Vivino Wine Scanner app on their mobile phone. The app is getting more popular in Holland as well, considering the 500.000 user who installed the app lately. Recently we spotted an article on Springwise about the app and although the app already has a huge amount of users, we thought it would be interesting to take a deeper look into how to use this as a consumer as well as a hospitality employee. read more
This week Brewery Oedipus starts with brewing a craft beer that will be aged in Jameson whiskey barrels. Hoppy and tangy Saison with smooth influences of Irish whiskey. The beer will be available in a limited edition as from April 2016.
For centuries beer and whiskey can be found on the bar alongside, but never before have the flavours been so intertwined as with the collaboration between the brewery Oedipus from Amsterdam and world famous Irish whiskey brand Jameson. The Netherlands is one of the first countries worldwide to start a collaboration with Jameson. read more
This weekend I read an article about ‘Project StarCade’ which will bring a virtual reality arcade to Los Angeles. It will be opening this spring at a yet undisclosed location. This location will be a pilot center before expanding to other locations in the US or in Europe. As we just wrote a whitepaper on Escape Rooms in the Netherlands, it’s intriguing to think about the developments…. read more
Menno Vreeburg, Arne Ramak en Maarten HogeveenDuring ART Rotterdam (11 t / m 14 February) at the Van Nelle factory in Rotterdam a collective of leading Dutch food designers open a temporary dining-and-drinking atelier called We Design Food.
The chefs or food designers provide seasonal dishes. The other members provide a nice glass of wine or a super exciting cocktail. There are oysters and small snacks. There is bread and there is chocolate. You can also just grab a cup of coffee of the highest quality at We Design Food. The atelier is to be found in building 6, opposite the entrance of ART Rotterdam. The atelier is open every day from 10 o’clock. read more
Now available in Dutch stores, the La Tulipe ‘Je t’aime’ Merlot wine. Ilja Gort, a famous Dutch winemaker in the Bordeaux, developed a new etiquette for his Merlot wine, especially for Valentine’s day. On the etiquette a big heart with the words ‘Je t’aime’ on it. At the backside of the bottle it is possible to write the name of your loved one.
The idea for this wine was to produce a limited edition of a soft red wine, especially for Valentine’s day. Own research by Ilja showed that woman within his own circle of girlfriends who love red wine, are not that fond of wines with rough tannins. Heavy, oaked wines didn’t suit the ladies taste as well. This is the reason why Ilja picked accessible , juicy red wines made from 100% Merlot grapes. The wine originates from the vineyards situated in the Languedoc, the same location as where the Slurp wines are produced.
“The Tulipe winery loves to make wine from Merlot grapes. From the start Ilja Gort, founder and winemaker at Tulipe winery, fell in love with the Merlot grapes because of the juiciness, elegancy and seductive tasty flavour. No difficulties, just enjoyment. That is how wine is meant to be. This Merlot fits the profile. Drink it slightly chilled or warmer. Enjoy a glass of ‘Je t’aime’ but it also great to combine with a dinner. ‘Je t’aime’ handles it all. According to the etiquette the wine can be drunk at its best if you listen to Serge Gainsbourg while you’re having the wine in your mouth.”
The from origin in Amsterdam situated foodshop STACH, well known for their sustainable products and specialties from local suppliers, has opened a shop in shop formula in the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam City.
STACH, the Amsterdam foodshop, with sustainable to-go products and specialties from local suppliers has opened a shop in shop formula in the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam City. STACH is already owner of nine different shops, situated in Amsterdam, Utrecht & Overveen, the Netherlands. The new shop in the Mercure Hotel will be added to their portfolio.
Guests can choose in the new foodshop for local brewed beers, healthy bars, freshly baked biscuits, salades and take away meals. “Due to the changing needs of the customers it is important to develop concepts who meet these needs. STACH offers an unique and qualitative eat experience on an approachable level. STACH is thereby, just like Mercure, locally inspired, this makes the concept suitable for our promise; a unique experience inspired by the local environment”, says Ad Hoondert, the General Manager of the hotel.
Within a short amount of time the foodshop had already a lot of guests who were curious about the concept. The fresh salads and especially Dutch products like ‘stroopwafels’ are very popular. “The appearance of STACH does give the hotel lobby a complete new impulse. It creates an cosy environment, a reason for guests to stay longer in our bar and lobby. Also guests who are not staying in our hotel and people living nearby are welcome to make use of the STACH products. It creates a link between us and the local environment of the hotel”, says Ad.
Inspiration for craft beer bars, pubs and beer lovers: a scratch card filled with the beers for sale at your bar. Time for your regular guests to taste the craft beers you offer!
The idea of a scratch card was created at Brooklyn’s Pop Chart Lab. This company has recently made a checklist of 99 different types of draft beer with the ultimate goal to have drunk all of the beers on the list ;-).
The scratch card is divided into the two main categories of beer: ales and lagers. These categories are being divided into subcategories such as bock beer, wheat beer and lagers. A real challenge for the die-hard beer lovers to scratch the card as fast as possible.
We spotted this scratch card at Dutch Cowgirls and although the guys at Brooklyn’s Pop Chart Lab are mainly focused on the guests with this card, we think it could also be used within the hospitality industry. As owner of a bar or pub you could check if you’re able to develop a scratch card consisting of the beers you have on sale. Combine a good price with, for example, a free specialty beer and you create a solid piece of customer loyalty. In fact, try to contact one of your suppliers to arrange this.
Another possibility is to take a look at Brooklyn’s Pop Chart website. Here you will find an extensive range of wall decorations, wood carvings and products. How about a large wooden sign engraved about the interesting world of whisky? Or an information poster for your staff about wine?
Patrick Mulligan and Ben Gibson work together since 2010 with one single goal in mind: to render all of human experience in chart form. On their website you will find different wall decorations, wood carvings and products that are designed in a visually powerful way.
The Gelato Machine is an all in one ice machine. Suitable for preparing, conserving and presenting fresh Gelato (ice cream).
The Gelato Machine saves the ice cream makers a lot of operating and investing. First you needed a separated preparation kitchen, ice cream machine, freezing installation and refrigerator, but now you only need one device. The ice cream machine is fully digitally operated and pre-programmed so it easy to use.
Suitable for preparing, conserving and presenting of ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet ice. The Gelato Machine produces in about 15 minutes 2,5 kilos of one of the previously mentioned ice creams. When the ice cream has been prepared the machine automatically turns into the ‘saving mode’. It’s optional to use the Gelato Machine with the Movuz IceMobil, provided with a plate (IceTeppanyaki) of -30 degrees Celsius. This makes it possible to ‘stir fry’ the ice cream within seconds.
SVH master ice cream maker Theo Clevers uses the Gelato Machine. Horecatrends asked him why the machine is suitable for his ice cream shops: “In the ice cream world, the experience is also becoming more important. Costumers want to see, smell and taste how we prepare ice cream. The Gelato Machine gives us the opportunity to make ice cream at receptions and parties. It is an addition to the traditional ice cream cart. Live cooking, but with ice cream.”
We couldn’t find an immersive Christmas Light Maze in Europe yet, howevere correct us if we are wrong. But we love the idea, another fun read more
We have been sharing inspiration on our website since 2007, inspiration that we find in the hospitality industry or by online spotting of what our read more
We have been sharing inspiration on our website since 2007, inspiration that we find in the hospitality industry or by online spotting of what our read more
TOP Food Lab regularly organizes jam sessions in the kitchen to experiment with products. Responding to the trends vegan, raw food and sustainability, a jam session resulted in a ricotta cheese made of almonds. The ricotta cheese of almonds has the same texture as dairy-based ricotta, the flavor is different (more nutty, less cheesy) and includes an acid that is also used in the production of cheese, that results in a cheese-like experience. The ricotta cheese contains no milk and is suitable for people with a lactose and cow’s milk allergy. TOP Food Lab wants to experiment more with curing, brining, using different kinds of molds and bacteria to make a ultimate mold cheese of almonds. The goal is to sell these cheeses in shops and restaurants.
Besides the traditional concierge, Renaissance Hotels introduced a digital concierge. The hotel started working with the Navigator program last year. The Navigator offers suggestions for restaurants, shops and sightseeing in the surroundings of the hotel. The Navigator displays information that is generated by hotel employees and by Wcities, an online destination content provider. You can open the program via the site or an App.
Heineken was looking for an intern events and sponsorship when they received 1,734 applications. For this reason Heineken devised an interview where the candidates could not be prepared for. Heineken examined how the candidates responded in unexpected situations, such as hand-in-hand walking, a recruiter who feels unwell and on a fire alarm. After the applications, the three best candidates were selected and people could vote on the candidates. Guy Luchting won the internship.
The Japanese brewery Sankt Gallen Brewery has brewed a stout beer that is chocolate-flavored by using chocolate malt. The beer has 8,5 percent of alcohol and can be served in a glass made entirely of chocolate. After drinking the chocolate-flavored stout beer, you can also eat the glass to enhance the chocolate flavor of the beer.
The Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad opened a restaurant cafe on the ground floor of a new building in Amsterdam on 18 February. On the second floor the editors of NRC Handelsblad and NRC.next are located. The official opening is on 6 March, until then, NRC readers can test the menu. The restaurant gets a ‘newsy’ look, there are screens with the latest news and the ceiling has a see-through to the editors. Soon there will open some meeting rooms for training, lunches, dinners and meetings. From April onwards NRC will organize daily lectures, debates and courses. NRC is not the first newspaper that opens a restaurant, earlier we saw that the Canadian newspaper Winnipeg Free Press opened a cafe.
Our former colleague Christel Hendriks started working at a new hotspot in Amsterdam; Wannemakers!. Since early 2013 Wannemakers! opened its doors at the Singel in Amsterdam. At Wannemakers! you imagine yourself in a ‘La Dolce Vita’ atmosphere and surprising and enjoyment are high priorities. Wannemakers! is open from 08.00 am onwards for breakfast, lunch or dinner. But also for a cup of Single Estate coffee or a coffee-to-go. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday and offers a French-inspired menu which is being renewed every two to three weeks. During the summer guests can relax on the terrace that is located next to the canal.
After the unique locations like the ‘Laurenskerk’ in Rotterdam and the ‘Concertgebouw’ in Amsterdam, this year on 6 April the fifth edition of MUST will be celebrated in the Kurhaus Hotel in Scheveningen. The party is in the Kurzaal, with entertainment and DJ’s like Erick E and Funkerman. All of the 252 rooms of the Kurhaus hotel are available for the visitors of MUST. The sale of the hotel package starts on 21 February.
Jiva coffee cubes is a new form of instant coffee with a deep stronger taste. The coffee beans used for the Jiva coffee cubes are from Colombia. The beans are freeze-dried and blended with unrefined cane sugar, known in South America as panela. Panela acts as a bonding agent and the coffee is pressed into cubes and individually hand-wrapped. The Jiva coffee cubes dissolve in hot water or milk and taste strong. At the moment, the coffee cubes are wrapped by hand, the owners are looking for funds to purchase a standard packing machine.
The video above shows how to make music with vegetables and fruit. Through a special technique the electrical signals are converted into keyboard signals. By making music with the vegetables you create more experience during making a salad.
By using the font Ecofont you can save on ink and it is a simple way to anticipate on sustainability. The Ecofont software leaves small holes in the letters and saves printer ink. These holes are never visible on screen and our brains ignore them on paper. The savings on ink costs can be up to 50%. Hospitality businesses can save on ink by using this font for invoices and letters and it promotes environmentally sound behavior within the organization.
Two Parisian patisseries have transformed the classic choux pastry with a new look. With the opening of the two stylish boutiques the éclairs become more popular in France. Every morning the pastry chefs of l’Atelier de l’Éclair make the éclairs fresh and by hand. Besides the famous sweet versions of the éclairs, the two boutiques are also selling savory éclairs. For example goat cheese pesto and chorizo-sun dried tomatoes éclairs. The unexpected savory flavours allow customers to settle in for an entire meal of éclairs.
The company PerfoTec provides the solution for a part of the food that is lost between harvest and consumption (30-50%). PerfoTec has developed a technology to extend the shelf life of fresh fruit and vegetables. By measuring the respiration rate of fruit and vegetables and adjusting the packaging accordingly, the shelf life of fruit and vegetables can be extended significantly. This gives the package the right amount of oxygen. According ‘Duurzaambedrijfsleven.nl‘ PerfoTec belongs to one of the world conquering innovations in the Netherlands.
We always say that local tapas is often received with enthusiasm by the guests, this is also the case at Catering Hanenburg. The company introduced the Frisian tapas 5 years ago and recently opened its cookery school at LOKAAL55. What started with organizing a reception for little budget with local dishes for a Frisian client, resulted in a success. Today the Frisian tapas is still a success. Many ingredients are besides local also sustainable. For example the Frisian cheeses, such as Riperkrite, Terschellinger red cheeses, clove cheese and blue cheese. But also the Frisian dry sausage from various butchers and tapas with shrimps and Frisian crostini are sustainable. On the picture you see smoked eel from the Sneekermeer with sushi rolls of beetroot and cream of potato.
In Canada Budweiser is appealing to hockey fans by offering them their very own ‘red light’. Every time their team scores, the light will go off with a honk. The light is connected via Wi-Fi network. Fun applicable for pubs as well! Maybe an ‘orange light’ for the Dutch soccer fans?
Rachel Howard searched in the heart of London for unusual bars en restaurants. She visited more than 100 locations looking for authentic dishes, magical interiors or eccentric hosts. At the Condé Nast Traveller website she gives a preview and reveals a few of her favorites. Like the secret cinema Wirled Cinema, shown on the picture above. The cinema is intimate and has a small bar where you can order cocktails, pizza and popcorn. The cinema is hidden in an alley and hard to find. Read the whole preview at the website from Condé Nast Traveller.
Hospitality is a subjective matter. What I experience as hospitality can be bothersome for others. However there are hospitable gestures that always score with guests. Especially small gestures can make quite the difference, these are the gestures that guests will remember fondly in years to come and maybe even make them come back. In the article ‘Small gestures in hospitality’ we do give great examples…. Click here to download the bookled for free.
Just great to watch, kids about Valentine’s Day. No trend or anything but we started this morning with a smile.
Have a nice day. Video and image courtesy of YouTube, Small Fry
Today one of the famous fast food item ‘currywurst’ (curry sausage) will be introduced at McDonald’s Germany. After the German specialties Big Rosti and McBrezer, the ‘McCurrywurst’ will be sold in approximately 1.400 locations. The next six weeks visitors can order the ‘McCurrywurst’ in combination with a Kaiserroll or with fries in a menu. McDonald’s Germany hopes that the McCurrywurst will soon become the company’s next classic menu item.
Another example of how to use Social Media. The campaign ‘Holiplay’ by Lego is simple. Simply building something with Lego, combine it with whatever you have in your surroundings and snap a photo. That concept captures the very essence of LEGO – use your imagination and play. Konstellation, the creative digital agency, responsible for the campaign likes to refer to it as ‘Brickmented Reality’. Watch the movie and see how Lego has used Social Media and the effect of it.
The Toasted Sandwich Factory, a living installation about the miracle that precedes the food on your plate. Situated in the middle of Amsterdam (in de Van Gendthallen) where the Toasted Sandwich Factory becomes part of the temporary city of Mediamatic. All the ingredients used in the toasted sandwich are grown or fed in the factory. Within a couple of months grain should be ready to harvest, the pigs ready for slaughter and the cows supply milk for the cheese. Anyone can come and visit or possibly help at the factory. The factory shows the origin and the production process of the toasted sandwich. Currently, the enthusiasts behind the Toasted Sandwich Factory are looking for donations.
Russian studio Arch Group has filled an old building in Moscow with its portable sleeping capsules to create the first Sleepbox hotel, Tverskaya. We already saw CityHub in the Netherlands, Tverskaya is founded the same idea. Each Sleepbox is mobile and can be placed anywhere, provided it can be connected to a power source. As well as beds, the rooms are equipped with LED reading lamps, plus sockets for charging laptops and mobile phones. Storage, toilets and showers are located outside the Sleepbox. Watch more pictures at Dezeen.
Inspiration from the Malaysian kitchen. Use crêpe batter instead of the salted coconut milk recipe of the ‘Roti Jala‘. Fill a mold as shows or a funnel with the batter and make circular movements above the stove. By circling you will create a perforated crêpe, streched over a dish will create a chic effect.
The Italian restaurant Sogno di Vino in America gives some families with children a discount on the bill. When children behave well during dinner, the parents will get a discount of 4 dollar. It is described at the bill as ‘Well behaved kids’.
Inspired by the Asian food court, the students Maaike and Charlotte devised the catering concept WE CANTEEN. This catering concept is for universities, businesses, hospitals or other institutions. There are several stalls where local entrepreneurs can offer their products and tell the story behind it. For each location WE CANTEEN determines which local entrepreneurs can offer their specialties for the relevant public. The offer will be diverse and the local entrepreneur get the opportunity to sell their products. During the Dutch Foodservice Congres 2013 (the 5th of February) WE CANTEEN is awarded ‘Most innovative Out of Home concept 2012/2013’.
The online restaurant reservation provider, OpenTable, has acquired ‘FoodSpotting’, a San Francisco start-up. FoodSpotting is an app and it’s sole mission is to let users showcase their latest restaurant meal, what it looks like and where to get it. OpenTable will intergrate the app into its reservation system. How the integration will look like isn’t clear yet except that the focus will be on visuals.
2021: the ‘FoodSpotting’ app, the Hot Trend of 2010, is no longer available. Check out the article at ChefsTemp about what happened to the app that once promised users they would help them decide “what to eat, not just where”?
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